ATM transmission system and method having variable transmission process functions and route configuration

1. An ATM transmission system comprising: plural electronic circuit packages having respective process functions in ATM transmission, each of said electronic circuit packages subjecting a receiving ATM cell to a transmission process; a control section having a first table programmed to define a relationship among transmission processes performed by at least a portion of said electronic circuit packages: and a cell distribution section having plural input/output terminals connectable to said plural electronic circuit packages and a second table defining a distribution route through said at least a portion of said electronic circuit packages said distribution route in said second table being formed from connections among respective ones of said input/output terminals and said at least a portion of said electronic circuit packages, said distribution route in said second table being defined by the programmed relationship among said transmission processes in said first table, said cell distribution section controlling a flow of a receive ATM cell through said at least a portion of said electronic circuit packages via said distribution route.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising means for previously setting a functional configuration of said transmission processes of said at least a portion of said plural electronic circuit packages, and instructing said cell distribution section to form distribution route with reference to said function configuration.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the first table in said control section sequentially arranges said input/output terminals along said distribution route, and further comprising: means for previously setting a control sequence of a receive ATM cell, and for controlling said cell distribution section to execute said flow of said receive ATM cell according to said control sequence.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein said control section arranges a number of times an ATM cell is input and output for each input/output terminal and controls said cell distribution section to repeat an input/output operation to the same input/output terminal the number of times arranged.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising: means for creating a new distribution route through said electronic circuit packages by altering said relationship among transmission processes performed by said plural electronic circuit packages in said first table.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising: means for re-programming said first table to vary a relationship among transmission processes performed by said electronic circuit packages, said re-programming altering said second table to cause input/output terminals of said cell distribution section to be connected to said plural electronic circuit packages in a different manner as previously connected, thereby defining a new distribution route through said electronic circuit packages.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said cell distribution section is connected to said plural electronic circuit packages in a star-type bus configuration.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said cell distribution section is connected to said plural electronic circuit packages in a multi-branch-type bus configuration.

9. An ATM transmission method comprising the steps of: preparing plural electronic circuit packages, a control section, and a cell distribution section having plurality input/output terminals connectable to said plural electronic circuit packages; programming a first table to define a relationship among transmission processes performed by at least a portion of said electronic circuit packages; programming a second table defining a distribution route through at least a portion of said electronic circuit packages, said distribution route in said second table based on said programmed relationship among said transmission processes defined in said table and being formed from connections among said at least a portion of said electronic circuit packages and respective ones of said input/output terminals of said cell distribution section; and controlling a flow of a receive ATM cell through said at least a portion of said electronic circuit packages via said distribution route.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising the steps of: previously setting a functional configuration of said transmission processes of said at least a portion of said plural electronic circuit packages, and instructing said cell distribution section to form a cell distribution route with reference to said function configuration.

11. The method of claim 9, sequentially arranging said input/output terminals in said routes along a cell distribution route in accordance with said second table in said control section; previously setting a control sequence of a receive ATM cell, and controlling said cell distribution section to execute a transmission process of said receive ATM cell according to said control sequence.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of: arranging a number of times an ATM cell is input and output for each input/output terminal, and controlling said cell distribution section to repeat an input/output operation to the same input/output terminal the number of times arranged.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising: creating new routes through said electronic circuit packages by altering said relationship among transmission processes performed by said plural electronic circuit packages in said first table.

14. The method of claim 9, further comprising: re-programming said first table to vary a relationship among transmission processes performed by said electronic circuit packages, said re-programming altering a manner in which input/output terminals of said cell distribution section are connected to said plural electronic circuit packages, thereby creating a new routes through said packages.

15. A virtual device for performing ATM cell transmission, comprising: a control section including a first table defining a relationship among a plurality of electronic circuit packages, said electronic circuit packages performing respective ATM process functions; a cell distribution section including a second table programmed to define an ATM cell distribution route passing through said electronic circuit packages, said second table being programming based on the data in the first table in said control section; and a plurality of slots, said slots connected to said electronic circuit packages based on the distribution route defined in the second table of said cell distribution section.

16. The virtual device of claim 15, wherein said first table includes data indicating whether each of said plurality of slots are usable.

17. The virtual device of claim 16, further comprising: means for altering said distribution route when one of said slots along said distribution route is unusable, said means replacing said unusable slot with an available useable slot to allow an ATM cell to flow along said altered distribution route.